Susannah York

Biography: Born Susannah Fletcher, she was raised in a remote Scottish village and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. After gaining experience on the provincial stage, in repertory and pantomime, she broke into films in 1960; after a couple of standard ingenue roles she established herself as a star with sex appeal after her work in Tom Jones (1963). For her work in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) she received an Oscar nomination, and for her performance in Robert Altman's Images (1972) she won the Cannes Film Festival Best Actress award. With occasional breaks she has sustained a steady screen career through the '90s, including playing the role of Superman's mother in three of the Superman films. She co-wrote the screenplay for her film Falling in Love Again (1980). She is the author of Lark's Castle and the successful children's fantasy book In Search of Unicorns. She is married to writer-actor Michael Wells.